Lost in Space – Reboot

I feel that I can safely say, I’m excited.  More so than I have been in a long time for an upcoming new series.  On April the 13th Netflix is launching a new reboot of Lost in Space.  One of my very early, favourite childhood shows.

The original Lost in Space series, created and produced by Irwin Allen, ran for three seasons, from 1965 to 1968 on CBS.  Season one was my favourite, starting off on a serious tone with the characters developing over time.  It was also the only one filmed in black and white.  But I never knew that at the time, since our TV set was black and white throughout the entire three seasons.  Maybe another contributing factor as to why I prefer the first season nowadays.

In 1998 we had a film of Lost in Space released in cinemas, with a plot adapted from the 1965–1968 original series.  It debuted at number one at the box office, ending Titanic‘s 15-week-long hold on the first-place position.  However, critics were generally negative towards the darker tone of the film.  I didn’t mind it.

With the new reboot we also get surprising new changes, one is of the robot.  No longer part of the crew, the robot is an alien machine that is discovered by Will Robinson by chance on a distant planet.  Gender unknown and who is playing the robot is also unknown.  We’ll have to wait for the series to start before we find out.  All we have for now is an amazing looking alien machine and the voice of the robot warning of an impeding threat with the original “Danger Will Robinson.”

Most of us who have seen the original series fondly remember the character of Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris).  Whom Bill Mumy, playing the role of Will Robinson, referred to him as “This man we love-to-hate, a snivelling coward who would cower behind the little boy, ‘Oh, the pain! Save me, William!'”

Well, in the reboot, the role of Dr Smith is taking on a gender switch, making Dr Smith a woman.  Parker Posey spoke of her role at WonderCon.  She explained:

“I love the original (series) and I certainly love the original Maureen,” Posey said (via Deadline). “But we live in a different time of gender dynamics.

“The women (on the show) could do whatever the men do – it isn’t even a question. It’s just the reality. It’s incredible to play a woman as smart as she and at the same time, has these flaws and has to connect with her kids.

“It’s 30 years into the future and we have imagined a reality we would like to see. We will hopefully be in a place where we want to be in terms of class, race and gender.”

She added: “When I heard they were going to offer me the part it was really touching for me. I loved that they made her into a woman.

“You’re going to see over 10 episodes how this new Dr Smith evolves.”

Well, I for one will be watching that development closely.